Volunteering and the general election

Another election, another surprise. No doubt, the result will be pored over by journalists, pollsters and academics for years to come – discussing how turnout, demographics, regional trends and more contributed to the final result.

Did the different ground-operations of political parties affect the outcome? Some have suggested so. In particular, Labour’s ability to mobilise large numbers of volunteers to canvass and get the vote out is being seen by some as a decisive factor.

Doorstep canvassing sessions typically run during workdays, evenings and weekends. Volunteers can simply turn up and commit as little or as much time as they like. Often, no training is needed. First-timers can simply turn up and learn from pairing up with a more experienced canvasser.

Using technology

In this election, accessibility has also been bolstered by good uses of technology.

Most parties now have web pages which allow volunteers to easily express their availability and areas of interest. The Green Party page is a particularly good example of a straightforward way to make applying for volunteering quick and easy.

Parties also explored new ways of using technology. The Labour campaign group Momentum for example used My Nearest Marginal, which allowed volunteers to input their postcode to find campaigning sessions in nearby marginal seats. The aim of this was to help volunteers who lived near safe seats to identify other areas where they could get out and volunteer.

Of course, many charities also use technology in innovative ways to assist with flexible volunteering. One particular example I was shown earlier this year was the GoodSAM app, which alerts off-duty medical professionals and first-aiders if someone is having a cardiac arrest in their vicinity. Volunteers can also upload information about public defibrillators.

A clear call to action

Above all, elections show how effective having a clear call to action can be. By their very nature, they are time-limited campaigns, with clear aims and intended outcomes and are therefore fantastic opportunities to mobilise volunteers.

Charities can attract volunteers through simple, compelling messaging like this, especially when working on a campaign or event. Explaining clearly how important volunteers are to your mission and how each contribution can have a big impact can be hugely effective. Also, don’t forget to thank them in person and publicly! During Volunteers’ Week we saw lots of great examples of this in action.

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Up until July 2018, Will supported NCVO’s policy work on volunteering development. His interests include the role of volunteering in public services and removing barriers to youth volunteering. He produced the monthly volunteering round-up blog and supported Volunteers’ Week.